The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Heavy rain warning for south Bengal as cyclone Arnab disrupts air travel, several flights cancelled
Cyclone Arnab prompts heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings across south Bengal, while adverse weather disrupts Kolkata airport operations, leading to flight cancellations.
Heavy rain is forecast for parts of south Bengal over the next two days as Cyclone Arnab makes landfall near Andhra Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department. The agency warned of thunderstorms across several districts and gusty winds in the region.
In Kolkata and surrounding south Bengal districts, heavy rain is likely on Wednesday for four areas: South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, and Jhargram. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in other districts, with gusts of 30-40 km per hour anticipated in many south Bengal areas.
Thunderstorms are also forecast across all south Bengal districts, including Kolkata, on Thursday. A yellow alert for thunderstorms remains in place for East Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia districts.
The weather conditions have affected air travel at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, with three IndiGo arrivals and two departures cancelled due to Cyclone Arnab. Coastal areas near Tajpur and Shankarpur are receiving public announcements, and sea bathing has been prohibited as a safety measure amid the weather disruption.
North Bengal is expected to experience adverse weather as well, with heavy rainfall forecast for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri on Thursday and Friday. A yellow alert for thunderstorms has been issued for the remaining north Bengal districts, and authorities cautioned that persistent rainfall could trigger landslides in the hill regions.